Both Needed Grand Theft Auto 5: The Fish Ladder of Destruction

Currently reading:
Both Needed Grand Theft Auto 5: The Fish Ladder of Destruction

GTA 5's Los Santos for a setting, or a sort-of Los Angeles?

  • Los Santos!

    Votes: 6 60.0%

  • Los Angeles!

    Votes: 4 40.0%
  • Total voters
    10
exocat

exocat

Baron
Local time
Today 2:46 AM
Messages
353
Hi,

How about a high-octane story about violent emotional impulsive people who routinely make Really Bad Decisions that all end in tears, blood, or climax?

Setting: Los Santos, in Grand Theft Auto 5. Except not an island. We can talk about it.

Writing Style: Third person, past tense.

Plot & Structure: Each writer gets one or two characters. I'll write for the setting. We'll go one story-day at a time. Each character will begin with an individual problem that snowballs until he or she crosses paths with another character and jumps to the next step on the Fish Ladder of Destruction. The ultimate goal is all the characters to work together to pull off one big death-defying caper that they think will get them out of the life-threatening mess they've gotten themselves into.

Themes: Action, Adventure, Romance, Crime Sprees, Really Bad Decisions & Their Ever-Lovin' Consequences.



Special Rule #1: Characters should be the kind of people who get mixed up in these kinds of messes. They should be very flawed screwed-up people, not Duke Nukem clones, rich people who can get out of everything with money, or super ex-ninjas who are too cool for school. I reserve the right to veto any character concept until it meets my nebulous and not-particularly-defined standard.

Special Rule #2: For every day a character makes a Really Bad Decision, like steal from a drug dealer, rip off a pimp, fight with the cops, sleep with a biker's mama, or something else so outrageously stupid that it's a shoe-in for the Darwin Awards, the character gets one Fate Point. Fate Points can be redeemed for a Stroke of Luck that may or may not help the character get out of some dreadful situation when it looks like all is lost.

Special Rule #3: Don't make any big changes to the setting, I'll do that based on what I need for the plot to progress or to stabilize things when the action gets out of hand.

Special Rule #4: Be plausible about what your character can do. Audacious and outrageous yes, super powers no.

Special Rule #5: Nobody kills anyone else's character without the writer's permission, no matter how much they might deserve it. I will focus on character defeat instead of character death, even though situations may warrant death. I will look for ways to get characters back into the action, even if they are much worse for wear. Be ready for your characters to experience a lot of painful ups and downs. Treat other writers with respect, treat their scenes with respect, and be cooperative.

Special Rule #6: Follow all site rules even though this is a story about bad people doing really stupid things. This might be a big game with a lot of people working on different story arcs. Be patient, be plausible, and be ready to turn off the plot hole detector when the drama calls for it ;)


So, if you like this idea and you want to check it out, feel free to respond here or send me a PM :D



Update: Rp has started! Still accepting characters!

Current Date: April 10th. Current IC Time: Late morning.

Los Santos Interactive Map, great for locations and street names! Grand Theft Data — Los Santos Landmarks Map
 
Last edited:
Cheshire Cat said:
I'm thinking of a twenty-six-ish tough-girl who runs low-level jobs for a local gang. Delivering a package, moving some leftover coke, shadowing someone, etc.
Click to expand...

Gives me the idea of my character running into yours in a bar! Biker gang!

Just maybe a different gang the. What ever you have.
 
That sounds perfect! Here's a brief character sheet to organize things.

Name: Your character's street name and/or government name. Example: Southside Tony / Anthony Hasenfuss
Description: Age, looks, appearance, all that good stuff.
Demeanor: Your character's general mood or vibe that others get.
Sob Story: A tragic background of your choice. Remember, nothing is ever your character's fault. It's all someone else's fault ;)

Pretty good at: These are things your character can do respectably, the kind of skill where people say 'hey, do that thing again!'


Is able to do:


Sucks at:


Relationships: The relationships that affect the drama of the story. Things like 'little brother who's always fucking up and needs your character to bail him out' or 'nosy social worker who won't stop trying to save your character even though your character is obviously a piece of shit' or 'drug dealer who has something on your character' or 'pimp who can't count and who always thinks your character owes him money' or 'asshole cop who always fucks with your character' or 'gang leader who keeps interfering in your character's life because your character joined the gang on The Inside'.

Problems: What problems does your character have right now that have to be resolved?

Addictions: These can include drug and alcohol issues but also drama-llama nonsense that your character is addicted to. Things like your character can't stand to see his ex-girlfriend walking with another man, and he HAS to do something about it, or your character always talks back to the cops, or your character has to have that one last hit, drink, or toke which leads to disaster, or your character can't stop herself from flirting hardcore with every man she interacts with.
 
And here are a couple of things to inspire your muses...



 
HERE I COOOOME!

- Name: Albert Blanchard, Al, or just A.

- Description: 28 years old; 1.82 meters tall; 68kg ("go convert this yourself, filthy imperial user!"). He has a regular build, with slightly broad shoulders. He looks a bit a wee bit slim too. Albert has short, blond hair, and a "mutton chop" beard. He ha a thick French accent, although seems to be able to speak English fluently.

- Demeanor: Albert looks, most of the time, quite calm when unphased. He is the kind of imaginative guy that gets lost in his own imagination and often needs people to take him back to reality from time to time. He also a rather quiet, discreet guy, even in groups. However, once someone (or maybe himself) takes the conversation to place that strikes his interests (mainly politics, weaponry, history, or a combination of three), he turns into a real talking machine. He also, surprisingly, rarely gets drunk, not really because he is a light drinker, but more because he dislikes most alcoholic drinks, except for anything involving Rhum or Whisky.

- Sob Story: Albert was born in France, and spent most of his life in the City of Reims. A proud Frenchman, a species that gets only rarer with time, Albert spent his time in a private, religious school, which only led to him having quite the cynical approach to religion. Quite the imaginative guy, Albert loved all forms of art, most of all, music, and dreamed to live off his own music. While a Metalhead, he loved all kinds of music. In short, Albert was that unassuming quiet kid that no one noticed and that sound like much trouble... Except that... Well... As he grew up, Albert discovered a new passion: firearms (and other kinds of weapons in general). By getting interested in firearms, he explored their history, and developed another passion: History; and through history, he found a new interest in politics. The combination of those three elements turned Albert into a proud, engaged, and quite idealistic character, that led to most people seeing him as... "Extremist". Of course, he was not! Although he had... Original ideas, when compared to his peers. This led to Albert ending up pretty much alone (not that he had many friends anyway).
With no else around him, he decided to fully commit to his passion: guns. Here's the problem though, he was a Frenchie, in France. Owning a gun in France, at least legally, is quite the complicated, timely and expensive (not even taking into account buying the gun) process; and well... Albert didn't have the will, time to waste, nor money to care about this. So he went the easy way and bought his first gun off the black market... Not having enough money to buy ammo, though, he accepted to pay through other means that Euros: working. He worked as a bouncer for a gun seller in the periphery of Paris, until, eventually, his employer ended up in a mess involving brutal protests, drug dealers, the Minister of Men-to-Women Equality, a couple of whores and a bulldog.
For a man with nothing but a Handgun, Albert dealt relatively well with trouble. Actually he dealt VERY well... So well in fact, that by next week, Albert was rushing to the closest airport because he was now one of the most wanted men in the country. If it wasn't for his lack of knowledge about the Russian language, he would've went for a little home in Siberia. Instead, he went to the USA. He wouldn't get any problems there, does he? I mean, you can own guns, people are fairly open-minded, they don't know him... It's all going to be all right now. Right? Right?

- Pretty good at: He knows a thing or two about history, and can be a nice source of anecdotes if someone around him gets too bored.
If we're talking usefulness, then Albert is good with guns, not only is he a great shot, he also is a specialist about firearms. If you ever have a problem with your gun, want it customized, or just are interested in seeing someone fully disassemble then reassemble a Glock in just a couple of minutes, then rejoice: you can call Albert and he will be eager to help. And... That's about it.

- Is able to do: Other than that, Albert knows how to drive, although he still has to get used to miles per hour, and not kilometers... This often leads to... Awkward situations. Or fun ones, depends on how you can take it, I guess. If you have other choices for drivers, perhaps you could pick someone else.
Albert can also talk French, obviously, this may or may not help, who knows. He knows a thing or two about first aid, Although don't expect him to stop cases of internal bleeding. Finally, he is a barely decent cook, far from the best, but if no one else can do the job, I suppose he can be your only option.
Being quite the quiet guy, he can go here and there without getting noticed (not that he has to get sneaky, mind you, people just don't mind him)... Well as long as he doesn't open his mouth, mind you, as his accent usually betrays him.

- Sucks at: Blending in, because as said, yes he can technically blend in, but if he ever talks... Well, he's probably done for. He also is asthmatic, so don't push him too hard unless he's got a Ventolin inhaler close, so while it's a not a specific domain he sucks at, there, this will probably very badly affect most actions involving some sort of physical effort.
Albert is also very easily distracted, anything can draw his attention, literally anything, even his own imagination. You'll need to "wake him up" sometimes.
Finally he sucks at keeping records of his spendings, and usually doesn't care. This is what led him to get in debts anyway. Don't trust him with too much money in his hands.

- Relationships: He made it to anger a band of anti-gun activists, and their... More militant friends. And while Albert doesn't fear them, but he would prefer to not get jumped by a horde of angry bat-wielding militant clad in black.
One of the few persons Albert could call a friend is a man simply known as "Frank". Frank owns a black market specialized in but not limited to gun dealing (because even in the US, Albert finds gun-owning restrictions a bit too harsh). Albert and Frank know each other very well, and Frank regularly grants him ammo, accessories, or even whole guns in exchange for the Frenchman's "help"...

- Problems: Albert is in debt. He just arrived, owns a tiny shack in Desert Shores (or Sandy Shores if we play in Los Santos), and yet is already in debts, may it be because he bought too much ammo or guns, needs to pay for the car he just acquired, or didn't even pay loan yet, Albert is in dire need for money. Perhaps friends too since he is a bit lonely... BUT MOST OF ALL, definitely money.
He also made some enemies, may it be activists mentionned earlier, or Frank's enemies, some people REALLY don't like Albert. This means that our Frenchie will probably have to get rid of that problem if he ever wants to live peacefully.

- Addictions: Albert doesn't smoke nor drink too much, as he says, "A healthy body for a healthy mind" (well, the second part of sentence could be discussed). However, he has some cravings and habits that can lead to some... unwanted consequences. Firstly, cheese. Cliche aside, even among his fellow Frenchies back in the old continent, Albert always had an intense craving for cheese, and while American cheese is far lower in quality than the one made back in France, he still craves for the next time he would get to taste some.
Another problem he has, some sort of metric complex of superiority. That's right, as dumb as it sounds, especially on American soil, Albert finds the imperial system of measures really dumb ("Why would you use that while EVERYONE ELSE use the metric system?"), and he can't help but point it out when he can.
Finally, remember when I talked about his passion for history and politics? Well he loves to discuss those with people. Those discussions, however, will often turn into heated debates, and probably fighting. Make sure to silence the man if he gets too talkative in front of some dangerous people.
 
Last edited:
Albert is a go!

Congratulations on having the first character approved! Albert seems a bit too level-headed to get mixed up in the upcoming shenanigans, but nobody's perfect ;) Albert seems like he makes errors in judgement, like spending too much money when he knows he can't afford things. So, think more about that, figure out what drives him to do things he knows he shouldn't do, then apply that basic flaw to other areas of his life so see what trouble Albert can get into!

How long has Albert been in the USA?

Frank will be very useful. How does Albert help Frank?

Are Albert's activist enemies in the USA or in France?
 
exocat said:
Albert is a go!

Congratulations on having the first character approved! Albert seems a bit too level-headed to get mixed up in the upcoming shenanigans, but nobody's perfect ;) Albert seems like he makes errors in judgement, like spending too much money when he knows he can't afford things. So, think more about that, figure out what drives him to do things he knows he shouldn't do, then apply that basic flaw to other areas of his life so see what trouble Albert can get into!

How long has Albert been in the USA?

Frank will be very useful. How does Albert help Frank?

Are Albert's activist enemies in the USA or in France?
Click to expand...

Yeah perhaps too level headed... I will try to play up the dumb parts, especially the imperial/metric measures problem, I think there are some fun opportunities, despite those being really small. I'll go modify my character sheet a bit to add more flaws anyway.

Albert just arrived in the USA, I didn't get a precise date, but I suppose he has been living there for just around a year.

Frank owning a business inthe Black Market, you can suppose those services are not very... Legal. This can involve skills that only regards Albert, like asking him to dismantle a RPG-7 to find out why it's not working while the angry triad owner points a gun at them, probably disapointed because his new toy doesn't work. But it could also be something more... "On the field". We're talking stealing goods, "dealing with rivals", acting as a bait to ensure the business' survival, things like that. What makes Frank so nice is that we can use him to set out characters on any kind of job as long as we can (one) justify that this will help his business and (two) don't expect him to pay in (much) money, but woth things like some free goods (so if you want fat stacks of cash, it may not be your man... Unless you want to steal from the man maybe).

Said activists, at least those mentionned in the relation section, are in the United States, in Los Santos/Angeles. I wouldn't say they would recognize them on sight, but Albert's bad habit to get into debates will probably draw their attention anyway. If you are with Albert, make sure to shut him up before he draws too much unwanted attention.
 
We'll use Frank sparingly, but effectively. When the time comes when things are going to jump up to the next level on the fish ladder, that will be the time that Albert says, "Wait. I know this guy..." I also have a good idea what I'm going to do with Albert's activist enemies too ;)
 
Name: Lucky / Lucille Pelletier
Description: Lucky stands at just over five and a half feet tall. Lithe and slender, slim but pear-shaped, her boyish figure is betrayed by her bottom-heavy nature. Her thick, straight brown locks are cut just above her shoulders, though the left side has recently been shaved, showing short stubble already. Her skin is sickly pale, spotted with patches of faded freckles, a menagerie of tattoos, and a few mean looking scars. Her big, tired, sapphire blue eyes are wreathed in long, thick lashes, and underlined by dark half-circles, while her plump, pale pink lips are usually pulled into a thin line or a wide grin. Her nose is decidedly roman, wide but dainty, with a strong, freckle-spattered bridge. Thin scars show where her ears used to bear some kind of decoration, and a small, deceptive freckle makes it look like she once sported a labret, but she doesn't currently wear any piercings. If you get to know her well enough, you might get to see all of her ink;
-The Hand of Fatima in black lineart across her left shoulder blade
-A Link to the Past themed 3/4 sleeve centred around a Hylian shield on her shoulder, and ending in a golden boss key on the underside of her forearm
-A large, rainbow unicorn head surrounded by rainbows on her right shoulder
-A thick, sharply drawn Anhk on the underside of her right wrist, with a dark red line-art scarab forming the hole in the loop.
-Black-and-white wings that start at the front of her hips and wrap around under her short ribs.
-The word "Lucky" in block letters, centred and placed scandalously low on her pelvis.
-The four suits across the knuckles of both hands.
-A swirling rose design down the outside of her right hip, ending just above the knee.
-A red lipstick print on her left collarbone
-A black cat sitting in a crescent moon on the back of her neck.

Demeanour: Lucky generally seems as though her last fuck fell out of her pocket somewhere, making her unable to give one. She says what's on her mind, which might be somewhere far from current events, and has rarely given a second thought about it. She's emotionally volatile, but not out of control, and impulsive, but not stupid. She's a creature of simple needs, and one that enjoys a challenge, and a drink, and a smoke, and a few other things that aren't health food. Basically, she enjoys anything that will take her mind off of her own thoughts, which she finds to be either an endless bombardment of everything, or a depressing walk through all of her worst fears and anxieties.

Sob Story: Lucky was born on the wrong side of town. Her parents worked dead-end jobs, their lives consisting of a basic cycle; work, drink to forget work, sleep off drink, repeat. They weren't violent, though a bruise or two did find its way onto a young Lucille after a bender. No, mostly they just weren't there for her. They had their own concerns, their own lives, she was just a roommate. Convinced there was something wrong with her, she was a quiet child. By the time she was a teen, she'd figured out there wasn't anything MORE wrong with her than there was with them, and that made her a little angry. She pushed the line of acceptable until they had to speak up, first acting up in class, then fighting, then using drugs. That one got her thrown out of school. Selling got her thrown into juvie. Having little else to do, she finished out her GED behind bars, spent her spare time learning tricks of various trades from her fellow delinquents. She came out dumber than she went in, head full of big stupid plans. THOSE plans taught her the truth of the world; she was small, and stupid, and far from bulletproof. She was almost an adult, but not quite. She was 21 when she got out the second time. This time she started small, used what she knew, planned for what she didn't. This time she wasn't the one running in waving a gun, she was the one selling them the guns, passing off the bribe, 'driving by when some ruffians ran out.' She started playing smart.

Her talents showed, and a few of the people she worked for started to show interest, but on the advice of a friend, one of few, she made the choice to remain a free agent. It's been a few years, but the decision has paid off, and now not only can she afford her own place, she's made a name for herself in the under-handed trades market. Sometimes her head runs away with her, but she has enough connections and know how, or just plain agility, that she can generally outrun the consequences of being caught criming.

Pretty good at: People. Lucille is great with people when she needs to be. She's not manipulative enough by nature to be a con artist, and she's too impatient to be a professional gambler, but she's got great instincts when it comes to people and their inner workings. Of course, she also thinks the worst of people's true motivations and doesn't trust anyone, but again, that's because she's got a natural talent for psychoanalysis. She's also agile from years of dodging thugs and fleeing from tense situations.


Is able to do: Lucky is a bit of a jill of all trades, and a master of none. She can drive, but fingers crossed its an automatic. She can shoot, but would hardly be called a marksman. She can't pick a lock, but she can certainly climb a fire escape and break a window. She's not a tech wiz, but she knows when to use a burner phone, a VPN, and a fake email. She's a talented seller of illegal things, and having a good number of contacts she's got a related talent for procuring illegal things. She's a lateral thinker, so she's a capable problem solver ... she can read, write, AND math ... oh, and she's got a knack at inventing cocktails based on what's in your fridge.


Sucks at: Due to her small stature and slight build, Lucille isn't someone to rely on in a physical altercation. She's not very trustworthy, or trusting, and hates having to work in tandem with others. She's not very professional, or respectful in the traditional sense, and has trouble keeping her mouth shut sometimes. She's also bad at life ... like, generally being a responsible adult who pays her bills on time and sets a responsible amount of money aside for emergencies and the future in general.

Relationships: There's a cop in the precinct that polices the area around her apartment that's taken the wrong kind of interest in her. He smells dirty from a mile off, but not just the kind of dirty that looks the other way for a price, the kind of dirty that gets involved. The kind of dirty that wants its cut of you. He's got her name, her address, plates, and record, and he's already knocked on her front door once.

Problems: The gang she's earned the most cred with is pushing her to join the chapter, declare her loyalty. Thing is, the bordering-on-white-supremist-biker-gang life really isn't for her. People bossing you around, senior members taking advantage with impunity, a major cut in customers ... she's a criminal, not an idiot. Thing is, the demands are starting to sound a little like ultimatums, and Lucky isn't sure how long before she's going to have to start watching her back.

Addictions: A little bit of everything. As stated, Lucky is very interested in staying out of her own head using whatever is closest at hand. Add a dash of impulsiveness and you've got a very addictive personality. Her propensity for indulging in everything, however, has meant that she isn't hooked on any one thing, just things in general.
 
Ok, I think it's about time to get started. Everybody who is still working on your character feel free to go at your own pace. I'll get the IC thread up in the next few days. Everybody let me know how you want your character to start off.

@Cheshire Cat what's the best way to set up an OOC thread for a group game?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom